Uranus in fiction
Encyclopedia
Literature
- An anonymous author writing as a Mr. Vivenair published A Journey Lately Performed Through the Air in an Aerostatic Globe, Commonly Called an Air Balloon, From This Terraquaeous Globe to the Newly Discovered Planet, Georgium Sidus in 1784.
- In the Buck RogersBuck RogersAnthony Rogers is a fictional character that first appeared in Armageddon 2419 A.D. by Philip Francis Nowlan in the August 1928 issue of the pulp magazine Amazing Stories. A sequel, The Airlords of Han, was published in the March 1929 issue....
series (1928–), Uranus is portrayed as having biodomeClosed ecological systemClosed ecological systems are ecosystems that do not rely on matter exchange with any part outside the system.The term is most often used to describe small manmade ecosystems...
s and robotRobotA robot is a mechanical or virtual intelligent agent that can perform tasks automatically or with guidance, typically by remote control. In practice a robot is usually an electro-mechanical machine that is guided by computer and electronic programming. Robots can be autonomous, semi-autonomous or...
s. - In Stanley G. WeinbaumStanley G. WeinbaumStanley Grauman Weinbaum was an American science fiction author. His career in science fiction was short but influential...
's 1935 story "The Planet of DoubtThe Planet of Doubt"The Planet of Doubt" is a science fiction short story by Stanley G. Weinbaum that was first published in the October 1935 issue of Astounding Stories...
", Uranus' North pole is shrouded in a perpetual fog. - R. R. Winterbotham's "Clouds over Uranus" was published by Astounding in March 1937
- In Ramsey CampbellRamsey CampbellJohn Ramsey Campbell is an English horror fiction author.Since he first came to prominence in the mid-1960s, critics have cited Campbell as one of the leading writers in his field: T. E. D. Klein has written that "Campbell reigns supreme in the field today", while S. T...
's The Insects from Shaggai (1964), a Cthulhu MythosCthulhu MythosThe Cthulhu Mythos is a shared fictional universe, based on the work of American horror writer H. P. Lovecraft.The term was first coined by August Derleth, a contemporary correspondent of Lovecraft, who used the name of the creature Cthulhu - a central figure in Lovecraft literature and the focus...
story, Uranus is known as L'gy'hx and is inhabited by cubical metallic many-legged creatures who worship Lrogg. They entered in religious conflict with the ShanInsect from ShaggaiAn Insect from Shaggai is a member of a fictional alien race in the Cthulhu Mythos. The being was created by British author Ramsey Campbell, who was inspired by a similar creature in H. P. Lovecraft's commonplace book...
. - The novels #5 ("Push towards Uranus") and #22 ("Position Oberon") in the Mark BrandisMark BrandisNikolai von Michalewsky was a German writer and journalist best known for a series of science fiction novels published between 1970 and 1987.-Biography:...
SF book series take place on and around Uranus. - In Larry NivenLarry NivenLaurence van Cott Niven / ˈlæri ˈnɪvən/ is an American science fiction author. His best-known work is Ringworld , which received Hugo, Locus, Ditmar, and Nebula awards. His work is primarily hard science fiction, using big science concepts and theoretical physics...
's novel A World Out of TimeA World Out of TimeA World Out of Time is a science fiction novel by Larry Niven and published in 1976. It is set outside the Known Space universe of many of Niven's stories, but is otherwise fairly representative of his 1970s hard science fiction novels...
(1976), Uranus is outfitted with a massive fusion motor and used to gently move the Earth outward from an artificially brightening sun caused by a civil war between Earth and its colonies. - Geoffrey A. LandisGeoffrey A. LandisGeoffrey A. Landis is an American scientist, working for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration on planetary exploration, interstellar propulsion, solar power and photovoltaics...
's short story "Into the Blue Abyss," part of his short-story collection Impact Parameter and other Quantum Fictions (2001) discussed an expedition to Uranus in search of life. - Fritz LeiberFritz LeiberFritz Reuter Leiber, Jr. was an American writer of fantasy, horror and science fiction. He was also a poet, actor in theatre and films, playwright, expert chess player and a champion fencer. Possibly his greatest chess accomplishment was winning clear first in the 1958 Santa Monica Open.. With...
's 1962 short story "Snowbank Orbit" has three Earth-ships, fleeing from interstellar invaders, attempt a desperate aero-braking maneuver in the atmosphere of Uranus at 100 miles per second. - In LarklightLarklightLarklight is a children's novel by author Philip Reeve. Illustrated by David Wyatt, it is the first book in the Larklight Trilogy. The hardcover edition has alternate title lines Or the Revenge of the White Spiders! or to Saturn's Rings and Back!...
, Uranus is called Georgium Sidum, 'Star of George'. It has Sprout islands on it, and is also inhabited by a four-armed merman-like race, who live in the Sprout's floating bladders beneath the surface along with other aquatic races.
Film and television
- In the 1962 film Journey to the Seventh Planet, astronauts on Uranus encounter a strange intelligence that projects illusions of a beautiful woman.
- In the Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
(1963–) serial The Daleks' Master PlanThe Daleks' Master PlanThe Daleks' Master Plan is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who. The twelve episodes were aired from 13 November 1965 to 29 January 1966...
, Uranus is described as being the only location in the universe where the mineral Taranium can be acquired. - In Space PatrolSpace Patrol (1962 TV series)Space Patrol is a science-fiction television series featuring marionettes that was produced in the United Kingdom in 1962. It was written and produced by Roberta Leigh in association with the Associated British Corporation.-Summary:...
(1962) episode: The Dark Planet - Professor Heggerty and his daughter Cassiopeia are baffled by a plant sample from Uranus with a mind of its own. Following the disappearance of a 20 strong survey team on Uranus, Colonel Raeburn dispatches the Space Patrol crew to locate larger versions of the plant, where they discover the adult specimens of the plant are far from friendly. - In Space PatrolSpace Patrol (1962 TV series)Space Patrol is a science-fiction television series featuring marionettes that was produced in the United Kingdom in 1962. It was written and produced by Roberta Leigh in association with the Associated British Corporation.-Summary:...
(1962) episode: The Invisible Invasion - On Uranus, the Duo's are planning to seize power on Earth by taking over the minds of everyone at Space Headquarters, including Colonel Raeburn. The one person seemingly unaffected by the Duo's power is Professor Heggerty, who is installed beneath his electronic hair-restorer!
Comics and anime
- In Planet ComicsPlanet ComicsPlanet Comics was a science fiction comic book title produced by Fiction House and ran for 73 issues from January 1940 to Winter 1953. Like many of Fiction House's early comics titles, Planet Comics was a spinoff of a pulp magazine, in this case Planet Stories, which featured space operatic tales...
the Red Comet goes to Uranus and finds a race of Ice-Men, and an awful magician who has shrunken the rightful Queen down. - In Grant MorrisonGrant MorrisonGrant Morrison is a Scottish comic book writer, playwright and occultist. He is known for his nonlinear narratives and counter-cultural leanings, as well as his successful runs on titles like Animal Man, Doom Patrol, JLA, The Invisibles, New X-Men, Fantastic Four, All-Star Superman, and...
's DC One MillionDC One Million"DC One Million" was a crossover storyline that ran through a self titled, weekly limited series and through special issues of almost all "DCU" titles published by DC Comics in November 1998...
(1998), each planet of the solar system is overseen by one member of the future descendants of the Justice LeagueJustice LeagueThe Justice League, also called the Justice League of America or JLA, is a fictional superhero team that appears in comic books published by DC Comics....
. Uranus is overseen by the Starman of the 853rd century from his floating citadel, after having replaced the Green LanternGreen LanternThe Green Lantern is the shared primary alias of several fictional characters, superheroes appearing in comic books published by DC Comics. The first Green Lantern was created by writer Bill Finger and artist Martin Nodell in All-American Comics #16 .Each Green Lantern possesses a power ring and...
. - The EternalsEternals (comics)The Eternals are a fictional race of superhumans in the Marvel Comics universe. They are described as an offshoot of the evolutionary process that created sentient life on Earth. The original instigators of this process, the alien Celestials, intended the Eternals to be the defenders of Earth which...
, a fictional race of superhumanSuperhumanSuperhuman can mean an improved human, for example, by genetic modification, cybernetic implants, or as what humans might evolve into, in the near or distant future...
s in the Marvel ComicsMarvel ComicsMarvel Worldwide, Inc., commonly referred to as Marvel Comics and formerly Marvel Publishing, Inc. and Marvel Comics Group, is an American company that publishes comic books and related media...
universeMarvel UniverseThe Marvel Universe is the shared fictional universe where most comic book titles and other media published by Marvel Entertainment take place, including those featuring Marvel's most familiar characters, such as Spider-Man, the Hulk, the X-Men, and the Avengers.The Marvel Universe is further...
, had a colony on Uranus. Most left Uranus and went on to SaturnSaturnSaturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
, while those who remained behindUranian (comics)The Uranians are a fictional race in the Marvel Universe. They first appeared in Marvel Boy # 1 , written by Stan Lee, as the human-like inhabitants of the planet Uranus, who became the hosts and mentors of Marvel Boy , as well as providing him with the technology which he used on Earth to become a...
were eventually wiped out by natural disasters. During the Kree-Skrull WarKree-Skrull WarThe "Kree-Skrull War" is a story arc that was written by Roy Thomas, and drawn by Sal Buscema, Neal Adams, and John Buscema. The story was originally published in the Marvel Comics comic book title Avengers #89 - 97 ....
the Kree Empire established an outpost on Uranus which acted as a supply depot for their weapons. - In All-Star Comics #13 the JSAJustice Society of AmericaThe Justice Society of America, or JSA, is a DC Comics superhero group, the first team of superheroes in comic book history. Conceived by editor Sheldon Mayer and writer Gardner Fox, the JSA first appeared in All Star Comics #3 ....
are gassed by Nazis and rocketed to different planets. Sandman (comics)Sandman (comics)Sandman and The Sandman, in comics, may refer to a number of characters:* Sandman , denoting the various characters that have taken the mantle of the Sandman, including:...
finds himself heading toward Uranus, a planet so cold that the population's brains are housed in bodies of crystal! When Sandman lands on the planet, the lack of oxygen nearly kills him until a citizen rescues him with an oxygo-tank. In gratitude, Sandman agrees to help the King of the planet battle his nemesis, Kafta, the evil one, and defeats him. The King presents Sandman with a crystal that cures brain cancer and books that explain its use, which come in handy for reading on the long trip back to Earth. - In a Superman comic Uranus' inhabitants are actually small mechanical robots. Their civilization is quite advanced, they can tour the solar system in circular space ships and although having weapons like "lance throwers" and "flame cannons", they have other advanced technologies like "transporta-rays" (which transport things and animals) and an interplanetary zoo.
In September 1949, referring to a book called "Children's Picture Book of Animals", they try catching an earth animal from each page, including a human man and woman. Superman deceives them into thinking all humans are robots, which they have no interest in (WF No. 6, Sep 1949: "The Alphabetical Animal Adventure").
Games
- In the role-playing game Transhuman SpaceTranshuman SpaceTranshuman Space is a role-playing game published by Steve Jackson Games as parts of the "Powered by GURPS" line. Set in the year 2100, humanity has begun to colonize the Solar System...
, ChinaPeople's Republic of ChinaChina , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
has begun preliminary harvesting of helium-3Helium-3Helium-3 is a light, non-radioactive isotope of helium with two protons and one neutron. It is rare on Earth, and is sought for use in nuclear fusion research...
from Uranus' atmosphere to compete against AmericanUnited StatesThe United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
helium-3 harvesting on SaturnSaturnSaturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System, after Jupiter. Saturn is named after the Roman god Saturn, equated to the Greek Cronus , the Babylonian Ninurta and the Hindu Shani. Saturn's astronomical symbol represents the Roman god's sickle.Saturn,...
. - In the video game Mass EffectMass EffectMass Effect is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare for the Xbox 360 and Microsoft Windows by Demiurge Studios. The Xbox 360 version was released worldwide in November 2007 published by Microsoft Game Studios...
, the Human Systems Alliance has mined Uranus for Helium-3. In the sequel, Mass Effect 2Mass Effect 2Mass Effect 2 is an action role-playing game developed by BioWare and published by Electronic Arts for Microsoft Windows, Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3. The game was released for Microsoft Windows and Xbox 360 on January 26, 2010 and for PlayStation 3 on January 18, 2011...
, should the player attempt to use the planet scanning mechanic to launch a probe to extract resources from Uranus ("probing Uranus"), the starship's AI will respond "Really, Commander?" before deploying the probe. A second probe triggers a deadpan "Probing Uranus" response, after which the voice switches to stock lines used for all other planets.
Ariel
- "Dead Men Walking" by Paul McAuleyPaul McAuleyPaul J. McAuley , a British botanist and award-winning author.A biologist by training, UK science fiction author McAuley writes mostly hard science fiction, dealing with themes such as biotechnology, alternate history/alternate reality, and space travel.McAuley began with far-future space opera...
(2007). Story of an android assassin on Ariel, which houses cities, penal colony and a prison farm. - First Contact?First Contact?First Contact? is a juvenile science fiction novel, the thirteenth in Hugh Walters' Chris Godfrey of U.N.E.X.A. series. It was published in the UK by Faber in 1971, in the US by T.Nelson Books in 1973.-Plot summary:...
(1971) by Hugh WaltersHugh Walters (author)Hugh Walters was a writer of juvenile Science Fiction novels from Bradley in the West Midlands region of the United Kingdom.-Biography:...
features two spaceships sent to investigate alien radio signals emanating from Ariel.
Titania
- In Blue MarsMars trilogyThe Mars trilogy is a series of award-winning science fiction novels by Kim Stanley Robinson that chronicles the settlement and terraforming of the planet Mars through the intensely personal and detailed viewpoints of a wide variety of characters spanning almost two centuries...
by Kim Stanley RobinsonKim Stanley RobinsonKim Stanley Robinson is an American science fiction writer known for his award-winning Mars trilogy. His work delves into ecological and sociological themes regularly, and many of his novels appear to be the direct result of his own scientific fascinations, such as the fifteen years of research...
(1997), Ann Clayborne and Zo Boone visit Uranus' moon Miranda, which is being preserved as a primal wilderness; the other sizable moons of Uranus are being ambitiously colonised at the time with the help of fusion lanterns placed in Uranus' upper atmosphere to provide more light; Blue Mars also contains a description of a colony on TitaniaTitania (moon)Titania is the largest of the moons of Uranus and the eighth largest moon in the Solar System at a diameter of 1578 km. Discovered by William Herschel in 1787, Titania is named after the queen of the fairies in Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream...
, where humans have adapted to the low gravity and light levels. - In Earth 2160Earth 2160Earth 2160 is a real time strategy computer game, the third in the "Earth" series and developed by Reality Pump studios. It is a direct sequel to Earth 2150...
, the Eurasian Dynasty (ED) had a military Prison on Titania, until it was destroyed by rogue LC forces.
Miranda
- G. David NordleyG. David NordleyG. David Nordley is a science fiction writer and physicist whose fiction writing is most associated with Analog Science Fiction and Fact. His fiction is under the name G. David Nordley while his technical writing is written under the name Gerald D. Nordley...
's novella "Into the Miranda Rift," in Analog Science Fiction, was set on Miranda. - In the computer game DescentDescent (video game)Descent is a 3D first-person shooter video game developed by Parallax Software and released by Interplay Entertainment Corp. in 1995. The game features six degrees of freedom gameplay and garnered several expansion packs...
, level 18 takes place in a mine on Miranda. - In the novels of Rob GrantRob GrantRobert Grant is a British comedy writer and television producer, who was born in Salford and studied Psychology at Liverpool University for two years....
and Doug NaylorDoug NaylorDouglas R. Naylor is a British comedy writer, science fiction writer, director and television producer.Naylor was born in Manchester, England and studied at the University of Liverpool. In the mid-1980s, Naylor wrote two regular comedy sketch shows for BBC Radio 4 entitled Cliché and Son of Cliché...
based on their sitcom Red DwarfRed DwarfRed Dwarf is a British comedy franchise which primarily comprises eight series of a television science fiction sitcom that aired on BBC Two between 1988 and 1999 and Dave from 2009–present. It gained cult following. It was created by Rob Grant and Doug Naylor, who also wrote the first six series...
, Miranda is the site of a large, congested spaceport where Dave Lister takes shore leave to get over being dumped by his girlfriend Kristine KochanskiKristine KochanskiKristine Z. Kochanski is a fictional character from the British science fiction situation comedy Red Dwarf. Kochanski was the first console officer in the navigation chamber on board the spaceship Red Dwarf...
and adopts a cat which he names Frankenstein.
OberonOberon (moon)Oberon , also designated ', is the outermost major moon of the planet Uranus. It is the second largest and second most massive of the Uranian moons, and the ninth most massive moon in the Solar System. Discovered by William Herschel in 1787, Oberon is named after the mythical king of the fairies...
- In "Treasure on Thunder Moon" (1942) by Edmond HamiltonEdmond HamiltonEdmond Moore Hamilton was an American author of science fiction stories and novels during the mid-twentieth century. Born in Youngstown, Ohio, he was raised there and in nearby New Castle, Pennsylvania...
, Oberon is the volcanic world, home of the semi-sentient alien race of "Flame-Throwers". - Three levels of the computer game DescentDescent (video game)Descent is a 3D first-person shooter video game developed by Parallax Software and released by Interplay Entertainment Corp. in 1995. The game features six degrees of freedom gameplay and garnered several expansion packs...
take place in mines on Oberon. Levels 19, 20, and 21 take place in an unidentified mine, an ironIronIron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
mine, and a platinumPlatinumPlatinum is a chemical element with the chemical symbol Pt and an atomic number of 78. Its name is derived from the Spanish term platina del Pinto, which is literally translated into "little silver of the Pinto River." It is a dense, malleable, ductile, precious, gray-white transition metal...
mine, respectively. - In Paolo Aresi's novel Oberon there is a secret Russian base on Oberon (which plays an important part in the plot).
- In the 1978 Russian novel (and film) "Lunar Rainbow" (Лунная радуга), written by S.I. Pavlov (Сергей Павлов), astronauts on Oberon become infected with a strange disease that gives them supernaturalSupernaturalThe supernatural or is that which is not subject to the laws of nature, or more figuratively, that which is said to exist above and beyond nature...
powers, but which ultimately turns out to be intelligentCollective intelligenceCollective intelligence is a shared or group intelligence that emerges from the collaboration and competition of many individuals and appears in consensus decision making in bacteria, animals, humans and computer networks....
alienExtraterrestrial lifeExtraterrestrial life is defined as life that does not originate from Earth...
microorganismMicroorganismA microorganism or microbe is a microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell , cell clusters, or no cell at all...
s from another planetary systemPlanetary systemA planetary system consists of the various non-stellar objects orbiting a star such as planets, dwarf planets , asteroids, meteoroids, comets, and cosmic dust...
. The sequel "Soft Mirrors" (1983) features other Uranus moons as well. - In the PC real-time strategy game Earth 2160, the UCS evacuation ship Phoenix was hidden among a Shield generator and a small UCS Base on the surface, in orbit around Oberon.
- In the StarhunterStarhunterStarhunter is a Canadian science fiction television series that aired for two seasons. The series was produced in Canada by The Danforth Studios Ltd. in association with Alliance Atlantis with some photography in the United Kingdom. Grosvenor Park Productions UK Ltd...
TV series episode "Cell Game" (2000), a maximum security prison has been established below the Oberon surface to keep the worst of the worst in an environment from which there is no hope for escape. Series hero Percy (Tanya Allen) is imprisoned there on false charges as bait to draw her bounty hunter uncle Dante Montana to the hostile world and her rescue. Action in Starhunter is restricted to the solar system, its planets and moons. - The Doctor WhoDoctor WhoDoctor Who is a British science fiction television programme produced by the BBC. The programme depicts the adventures of a time-travelling humanoid alien known as the Doctor who explores the universe in a sentient time machine called the TARDIS that flies through time and space, whose exterior...
story Revelation of the DaleksRevelation of the DaleksRevelation of the Daleks is a serial in the British science fiction television series Doctor Who, which was first broadcast in two weekly parts on 23 March and 30 March 1985...
introduces an order of knights called the Grand Order of Oberon. Later original novelsVirgin New AdventuresThe Virgin New Adventures were a series of novels from Virgin Publishing based on the British science-fiction television series Doctor Who...
place the Order as based on Oberon.
Umbriel
- In Donald A. Wollheim's short story "Umbriel" (1936), this moon is really a gigantic dead animal, who came to die in an orbit around Saturn. The protagonist, an astronaut, discovers huge worms appearing from the ground, and he concludes they are eating the flesh of the immense corpse. Before he leaves he realises the worms have metal collars, which mean there is a species of intelligent beings living in the interior of the corpse, and they are the worms' masters.
- In a Lieutenant Jon Jarl story in Captain Marvel Adventures #113 Umbriel has become a new version of the Old West.